Former SMW Rovers president John Box is the new Mininera and District Football League chairman.
Box was voted into the position unanimously and will take over the role after David Watson stood down after serving in the position for 11 years over two different terms.
The 66-year-old has been involved in the league for more than 20 years and said he was excited to step in to the position.
"I am a bit upset David has stepped down, he has done a lot for the league but I am honoured to be chosen for the role,” he said.
"I have always been involved in the Mininera league, so I know a bit about it.”
Box was Rovers president 12 years after serving an eight-year period as club secretary.
The new role will mean he will have to step down from the Rovers committee for the season.
He said he would use his experience to try and strengthen the working relationship between the clubs and the league.
"With the change of board members coming in over the last couple of years, I have felt the board and clubs need to get closer together,” he said.
“We need to listen to the clubs more and let them have more involvement in the decision making process, because a lot of clubs feel they do not have a big say.”
The change in chairman comes after the board voted to join the AFL Western District where the commission will offer administrative support to the Mininera league and other football leagues in the region.
Box said it was a 12-month trial and the league would reassess the arrangement in 2018.
"The board has just gone into new management and it is about trying to get everyone working together to improve the league and the development at all levels,” he said. “The Mininera league is a good league.”
Box only joined the league board this year and will be busy adjusting to his new role over the coming months.
He joins Woorndoo-Mortlake’s Gary Cameron, Caramut’s Bobby Mann and Lake Bolac’s Gerard Morrissey as new board members for the 2017 season.
The new chairman said he was confident he had the right tools to do a good job for the league.
"There are good people on the board and plenty of support out there that will help me along the way,” he said.
“I am just really excited and hope it all goes as well as it can.”
